She’s not as exuberant in popping her squat, but she manages to settle herself up against the headboard, clasping her hands together on her lap as she looks around the room. “Are these typical living conditions?” Zora asks.
I snort, shaking my head. “No. This is one percent of the one percent.”
“I don’t understand.”
I really have to stop using cliches with her. “Carrick’s home is not typical at all. He’s incredibly wealthy, and everything here is very extravagant. I’ll take you to my house sometime. It’s probably more representative of the average person.”
“Which I’m sure is still far superior to the living conditions in the Underworld,” she murmurs.
“Actually, we do have many places in the world where it’s pretty awful. The Earth realm is not without its problems, but it’s so much better than where you were since we have sunlight here.”
Silence falls between us, and I realize sitting side by side is not conducive to meaningful conversation. I rise and reposition myself further down the bed where I sit cross-legged, facing Zora.
“Can I ask you a question about Amell?”
When Zora nods, I’m surprised. For some reason, I thought he might be an off-limit topic until we got to know each other better.
“I was really surprised he suggested you come, which told me that he cares for you.” I pause because I’m just setting the background for my real curiosity. “What did he say to you right before we left?”
Zora’s expression is bittersweet. “He told me to give you a chance.”
Yup. That definitely proves that he cares for her. And now I’m just being nosy. “Do you have feelings for him?”
I don’t get an answer. Instead, Zora looks down at her interlaced fingers. While I wait for her to decide what she wants to share, I remind myself to keep an open mind. Everything I know about Dark Fae tells me that Amell should be cruel, evil, and incapable of caring for Zora. But I’ve learned that nothing is as it seems when it comes to the fae and other immortals.
“It’s hard for me to describe what I feel for Amell,” Zora admits, and it’s quite the admission. It means she’s conflicted and vulnerable, and Zora has strived so hard to maintain a tough exterior. “He’s done a lot for me over the years.”
“Are you two… um… intimate?” I ask cautiously. Because Zora is a beautiful woman, and Amell is about as gorgeous as a fae can be.
“If you are asking if we have sex, then yes… we’re intimate.” She’s very matter-of-fact, yet there’s not a hint of fondness regarding the relationship they have.
The Underworld’s equivalent of friends with benefits? I don’t ask for clarification, letting Zora tell me only what she’s comfortable with. As it stands, I have no clue how she was treated as a baby, a toddler, a child, a teenager, or a woman. I don’t know if she had protection or if she was allowed to be used the way she was when they pumped her full of magic.
Hell, I’m not sure if I want to know the details because I’m afraid they’ll be too horrible for me to process.
Regardless, Zora will tell me when and if she’s ever ready.
“I have an idea,” I say with an encouraging smile. “How about I tell you about myself?”
“Okay,” she says, although I’m dismayed over the lack of enthusiasm in her voice. She does sit up straighter against the headboard, though, and crosses her legs Indian-style to match mine.
I don’t start my story from the beginning, which would mean talking about how she was stolen and replaced with a changeling for twenty-eight years. I also don’t want to hit her with the fact our parents are dead.
So I start at my early adulthood—considered the now-mundane part of my life—and prattle on about my failed attempt at college, my job jumping and inability to measure up to my perfect sister, and finally how I ended up at One Bean as a barista and then became the owner. I go on far too long about coffee and its importance to Seattle. This leads into a bit of a geography lesson for her, but when I see her eyes starting to glaze over, I shut my yap to give her time to digest.
She narrows in on the lynchpin that bridges my old life with my current one. “And what of Carrick? What is he to you?”
A low laugh bubbles out as I look down at my lap before giving her my eyes again. “He’s everything to me. My entire life. My reason for living.”
Confusion flits across Zora’s face, almost as if she can’t understand those types of feelings.
“Perhaps I should tell you our story from the beginning,” I suggest softly. “And that will sort of lead into how I came to find out about you and why we’re trying to stop Kymaris from taking over the Earth realm.”
Zora nods. “Okay.”
“But first,” I say slyly, rolling off the bed. “We need major snacks for this. I’ll be right back.”
Before leaving the room, I give a backward glance at her before nodding at the closet. “You can change into some more comfortable clothes if you want.”
Her gaze moves slowly to her left, and I leave her alone as she considers.
In the kitchen, everyone is still there, waiting on some news about how she’s settling in. All eyes turn to me expectantly.
“I’m just here for food,” I say as I rummage through the pantry for chips.
“I’ll make you a charcuterie board,” Zaid announces, grabbing my elbow and pulling me out of the storage closet. “And deliver it to Zora’s room for you both to share.”
And… I’m not going to argue with that. Gratefully, I smile and move to the fridge, grabbing some water and two Cokes. I don’t drink soda—those are actually Maddox’s obsession—but I want Zora to try one.
“Well,” Rainey drawls, grabbing my attention. “How’s it going?”
“Slowly,” I admit with a tiny sigh. “She’s overwhelmed. This is a lot, so I’m just slowing things down and talking at her pace. I’m letting her tell me what she wants. Right now, I’m blathering on all about Carrick and me.”
Carrick smirks knowingly, and I roll my eyes.
“I would suggest you all disperse and go about your day,” I tell the crowd. “I’ll be with Zora the entire time.”
“And tonight?” Carrick asks suggestively.
“I might have a slumber party with her,” I quip and shoot him a wink, which makes him laugh.
I wouldn’t really do that. Zora would think it was so weird her first night here, and I’d miss Carrick too much.
But maybe we’ll get there.
I leave the kitchen and my friends behind.
The love of my life behind.
I head back into Zora’s bedroom so we can continue to get to know each other at whatever pace she’ll allow.
* * *
It’s almost midnight when I creep into the bedroom I share with Carrick, but the creeping is unnecessary. He waits for me in the bed, sitting up against the backboard and reading a book. He’s shirtless and the sheets are pulled up over his hips, but I can tell he’s naked underneath.
It’s how he always sleeps, although I still prefer one of his t-shirts. I like the comfort his smell brings me.